Ranking Every High School Musical Song in the Franchise

What time is it? Summertime! But it’s also time for another ranking blog. It’s been a while since we’ve published one, and I’m so glad to be back, this time to rank High School Musical songs!  

High School Musical is a franchise that was most popular at the height of Disney Channel original movies. It’s from the massive success of the first and second TV airings that made the Disney Channel network invest more time and money into quality Disney Channel Original Movies, leading to other successful franchises like Descendents.  

I’m a huge High School Musical fan. I remember how much of an event it was when HSM 2 aired on The Disney Channel in summer of 2007. All the kids in my neighborhood got together for the premiere, and I was one of those annoying kids who demanded silence during the important scenes. Little 12-year-old me cried during “I Gotta Go My Own Way” and fangirled during “Bet on It.” I had the soundtrack for the first HSM on CD and played it so much that I’m surprised it never got scratched up.  

I love the movies so much that when my colleagues on the Savage Content team who are cohosts on our new podcast Savage Movie Night asked what movie I’d like to pick for an episode, I instantly thought of High School Musical. It was such an important part of my childhood, and I go into some of those nostalgic feelings further in the podcast if you’d like to tune in and hear what I and two 40+-year-olds thought experiencing the Disney Channel classic for the first time (spoiler: it’s a lot of me hyping this movie up). 

I think that’s enough of an introduction. Let’s dive in, shall we? 

33. Senior Year Spring Musical 

In the movie, this song works well, but outside of the film? Not so much. It’s a mash-up of pretty much every song in the movie, so if you’re looking for one song to give you High School Musical 3 nostalgia, this is the best of it all. But let’s be honest, do you want to hear just parts of a bunch of songs you love, or do you just want to listen to the originals? I personally would rather listen to the songs I like and not the play versions. So it belongs at the bottom for its lack of replayability for me. 

32. A Night to Remember 

I don’t really like this one because it feels uninspired compared to a lot of other great songs from the franchise. I also don’t love that the men aren’t into it and dreading going to the prom as if boys can’t enjoy a dance like a girl. I like the samba influences in this one, but the subject matter is not that interesting or has much replay value to me. 

31. We’re All in This Together (Graduation Mix) 

While this one has a special impact for the ending of an era, I don’t ever find myself choosing this version over the original. The vibes are different, and this slower version is not one I’m very drawn to.  

30. Just Getting Started 

This song is used in the end credits for High School Musical 3, and it’s topical, I suppose. If you need the explanation/context for this song, it goes to show how forgettable it is. It serves its purpose, but it’s not something memorable compared to the many other bangers to come out of the HSM franchise. 

29. Humuhumunukunukuapua'a 

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think Kenny Ortega made the right call making this a deleted song and scene from the film. Sharpay and Ryan's performances are always over the top with fun themes, and this tiki one is no different. I can appreciate how fun it is, but truly never find myself in the mood to throw this song on. 

28. When There Was Me and You 

Each HSM movie has a Vanessa solo track, and “When There Was Me and You” is the weakest of the three. Even back in my days of having the first HSM CD on repeat, I often skipped this song. Vanessa Hudgens sounds great, as always. I just never connected with this one. 

27. Right Here, Right Now 

You might have started to notice a trend that a lot of High School Musical 3 songs are near the bottom of this ranking. It seems crazy to say HSM 3 was “past my time” when I was obsessed with the second movie a little over a year before, but I was in a transitional period where musicals were “lame” by then. So, I didn’t get to fully appreciate this film until I was in college and revisiting the franchise. This movie does have its bangers, but “Right Here Right Now” isn’t one of them. This one feels like a transitional track and not as authentic as the other romantic tracks between Troy and Gabriella. This is one of the most-listened to tracks off this album on Spotify, so I’m clearly in the minority here. It just doesn’t do anything for me. 

26. Walk Away 

Another “Gabriella is sad” track, which is important to the movie, but doesn’t have a lot of replay value to me. I prefer it to the Hudgens solo track in the first film, but it’s not a very impactful one for me personally. 

25.  Every Day  

Unpopular opinion alert! When you compare this to the big songs of the other two films, “Every Day” just doesn’t measure up. Even if I wasn’t comparing it to “Breaking Free” and “Just Wanna Be with You”, it’s not a song that you’d catch me choosing for karaoke. Zac and Vanessa’s vocals in this are stunning, but it’s just not as good as other songs in the franchise. I saw a YouTuber describe this song as “youth group choir vibes” and I can’t unhear it now. 

24.  High School Musical  

While I can appreciate this song’s impact, it’s a little too cheesy for my personal taste. I do love that it marks the end of the franchise and the third film. It’s cute that the song is about carrying the memories of being in their high school musical for the rest of their lives, but it’s just not as catchy as the final songs in the other two films.  

23. Boys Are Back 

I love that Zac Efron and Corbin Bleu got a song together, but this is not a song I’d find myself listening to often outside of the film. Corbin Bleu’s vocals do go hard in this and it’s a catchy tune that gets me bobbing my head as I type this. 

22. I Want It All 

I know this is a crowd favorite, especially with Sharpay and Ryan fans. I think had I held nostalgia for the third movie like the other two, I might like this one more. I do like that Ryan gets more of a chance to shine in this one, especially in the musical part of the movie. Overall, however, it just doesn’t hit for me like other tracks that rank higher. 

21. All for One 

This song is just pure summer fun. I can acknowledge this may not be very great lyrically, but the production and corresponding scene in the film elevates this song for me. I always picture the dance move while they sing, “feel the rhythm of the drums.” And of course, the surprise appearance of Miley Cyrus dancing with everyone made this song fun to watch! For those who don’t know, back in the day, fans could vote on which Disney Channel star they wanted to make a guest appearance in HSM 2 and Miley Cyrus won. She doesn’t join in for the vocals, but the main cast’s vocals are on point as always. 

20. Can I Have This Dance 

This one didn’t really stand out to me when it first made its appearance in the film, but when that reprise comes in during the second half when Troy travels to Stanford to bring Prom to Gabriella, I got the hype. It’s just such a sweet romantic song, and the performances from both Zac and Vanessa really stand out amongst others in the third movie. 

19. Scream 

The scene from HSM 3 really elevates “Scream” from a good song to a great one. Much like each movie needs a Gabriella solo song, we also got two Troy solos in the franchise. Lyrically, this is one of the better songs of the third movie. Zac Efron really gives it his all in this recording too.  

18. You Are the Music in Me – Sharpay and Troy Version 

Is this version with Sharpay better than the one with Gabriella? Absolutely not. But it still holds a special place in my heart for how over the top and goofy it is. I love watching Sharpay being her theatrical self while Troy is visibly uncomfortable and can’t match her energy at all, and you can tell by how he sings. It’s so funny, and I can’t even deny that it’s fun to sing along to Sharpay’s version.  

17. Work This Out 

The ensemble cast all singing together for “Work This Out” is so fun, and the choreography for this number is burned into my brain, especially that glass tinkle. It’s iconic. The subject matter is kind of silly because they’re complaining about having to work at their summer jobs, but it’s so catchy, and I can’t help but do the choreography, especially the “sun will shine” part. 

16. Just Wanna Be with You 

This is my second favorite track from the third HSM. It has a part for Ryan to shine in the beginning before becoming a beautiful duet between Troy and Gabriella. It’s insanely catchy. I’ll find myself humming the song out of nowhere while I make dinner. 

15. What I’ve Been Looking For (Sharpay and Ryan’s version) 

I remember hating this version as a kid and being like, “Get out of here. Troy and Gabriella are better.” But the older I get, the more I appreciate the show-tune-style rendition the twins did. It’s so upbeat and fun, and I love watching them over-the-top act out the lyrics. Plus, everyone loves a good jazz square! 

 14.  Now or Never 

This is a great opening song for the third movie! That whisper “sixteen, sixteen minutes” bit that turns into a cheer always hypes me up. This is such a grooving track, and it fits the basketball game energy perfectly. I love that cheering element too. Even though “Getcha Head in the Game” holds a deeper place in my heart for nostalgic reasons, I fully admit this is an improved version of what the first song wanted to be. I would probably have ranked this higher, but I love songs from the first two films more. Plus, that whole Gabriella bit is so cheesy and cringy.  

13. What I’ve Been Looking For (Reprise) 

This is the version of the song sung by Troy and Gabriella that was the original intention of the musical composer Kelsie, so even though I appreciate the Evans’ version, this softer, slower version will always hold a special place in my heart. Knowing that it’s the original intention paired with the sweet, sentimental vocals of the main couple, makes for a beautiful romantic track.  

12. Bop to the Top 

Gimme gimme, shimmy shimmy! I’m sorry, but if you don’t like “Bop to the Top” what are you even doing? This is my second favorite performance from Sharpay and Ryan because it’s so catchy and over the top. This one is made better by watching their performance, especially watching them climb the ladder at the end to “reach the top.” Their callback audition was pretty great even if they didn’t get the parts in the end. 

11. You Are the Music in Me 

When I hear that “nananana,” I’m hit with such nostalgia. I love that “You Are the Music in Me” starts with Kelsie, giving her a little moment before it’s taken by the rest of her classmates. Much like “Everyday” it’s giving church choir vibes, but I much prefer this one. OG fans will also know that Zac’s little “yeah” at the end was fangirl-inducing back in the day, and I still look forward to hearing it as an adult. 

10. What Time Is It 

There was so way this song wasn’t making it into my top 10. I still throw this song on every summer because it just totally embodies the joyful summer vibes. What time is it? Summertime! This high-energy track opens up the second movie and captures the absolute joy of being a student seconds away from summer vacation. The absolute blowout of energy when school ends is such a universal experience for anyone in the States who has a summer vacation. This song is also great because it sets up what this movie is going to be all about – summer!  

9. Stick to the Status Quo 

This performance is such a sight to behold because so much is going on. I love the organized chaos of this number and how important it is to the overall theme over the first HSM. Since Troy decides to try out for the musical, other students are feeling comfortable admitting things they do that don’t fit their preconceived labels. A skater plays the cello, a brainiac loves to break dance, and a basketball player loves to bake are a few among many confessions coming out of this song. Its purpose is to show how difficult it can be to break free of what’s “expected” of you and try something new. While the song itself is telling students to stick to what they know, that is not the true message of the film. “Stick to the Status Quo” is so much fun to sing along to, especially the silly rebuttals like, “Is that even legal?” 

8. I Don’t Dance 

There’s nothing funnier than watching Chad tell Ryan he’s not a dancer and then immediately join in a dance number to assert his view to Ryan that he doesn’t dance. I love the irony and that Chad’s pretty damn good at dancing, even though he allegedly doesn’t dance. This dance number also incorporates baseball, funnily enough, despite most of the characters being basketball players. It works really well comparing dancing to baseball. Its intention is to show that being an athlete and a performer is possible and further pushes the theme that no person is just one thing, and they shouldn’t have to be. I love that sequence with them using the bats and gloves too. This one is definitely a blast to listen to, even years later. 

7. Start of Something New 

“Start of Something New” is also the start of the franchise. It’s the first song in the franchise sung by Troy and Gabriella who are meeting for the first time and pushed into singing karaoke together. It’s not only the start of the franchise but also the start of their connection and the start of Troy’s interest in singing. Beyond its importance, it’s simply a great song. You can see from that performance that Troy and Gabriella performing together is something special and that connection they form established so early makes audiences instantly root for them.  

6. Get’cha Head in the Game 

I commend Kenny Ortega and the choreography team for coming up with this number because it’s iconic and impressive. To help incorporate real basketball plays into the dance routine, they brought in an actual basketball coach to give them tips. According to the actors, dribbling, singing, and dancing at the same time was no easy feat, and rehearsals to get the moves down right were brutal. But all the hard work paid off because it looks perfectly in sync. I love that this captures the love of basketball while also capturing Troy’s struggle to stay focused as he thinks of his desire for Gabriella and the theater. His head’s in the game, but his heart’s in the song. What an iconic line. And what a great song!   

5. Gotta Go My Own Way 

Did anyone else cry the very first time they saw the “Gotta Go My Own Way” scene in HSM 2? You can admit it. This scene was gut-wrenching to me as a kid. Troy and Gabriella were the ultimate couple and to see them break up was devastating. Gabriella giving Troy back his T necklace just further twists the knife. Putting aside my nostalgia for the tune, it’s a great duet from the two of them, full of genuine-feeling heartbreak. I love that it’s not a definitive breakup. It’s just goodbye for now because this isn’t working currently. It’s kind of mature even if the characters don’t fully reflect that intention. This song is really elevated when Troy joins the song asking, “What about us?” And that, “I gotta leave but I’ll miss you” harmonizing – chills! Even as an adult, I still belt this one out like I’m still 12. 

4. We’re All in This Together 

From a lyrical, production, and performance standpoint, this song is such a powerhouse. It’s the perfect song to close out the first film and really drive home the message that despite everyone’s differences, they can all come together as one. It’s all such a blast. I remember watching the Disney Channel how-to specials for how to do the dance so I could join in next time I tuned into the movie playing on TV. It’s such a special song to me that’s close to my heart because of the warm feelings of childhood it brings about. Before the chaos of growing up hit, I had “We’re All in This Together” and I believed in it. This is such an impressive song when you look into the behind-the-scenes, because everything had to look seamless for it to work properly. It flows perfectly, so all the hard work definitely paid off.   

3. Fabulous 

It’s so funny to say as an adult this song is in my top 3 because I didn’t really care for it as a kid because I didn’t like Sharpay. I know a lot of people are Sharpay apologists these days, and I never really got to that point, but I can acknowledge her talent. “Fabulous” is such a blast to sing along to, and it’s one my friends and I love to throw off after a couple of drinks when we’re feeling happy. To me, “Fabulous” is great because it embodies the aesthetic and vibes that a lot of modern tracks do today of “I’m awesome and I deserve to be treated like a queen.” Think of songs like “Truth Hurts” and “No Scrubs” that demand nothing less than what the singer(s) deserve. It’s fun to play into the sassy Sharpay role and truly feel like you’re living your best hot girl summer life. 

2. Breaking Free 

“Breaking Free” is a song you will always find me jamming out to. Ask me again in 10 years, and I will still be belting out the lyrics if this song comes on. There is nothing like that feeling of belting out that first, “We’re breaking free.” This is a song I can throw on at karaoke and I know people are going to join in because it’s pure nostalgic joy. If I ever meet a High School Musical fan who hates this song, I may die of shock. “Breaking Free” is such an important moment in the film because it’s not only the big duet that Troy and Gabriella have been rehearsing for, but it’s also the moment that everyone who had doubts about Troy doing musical theater saw the proof that he belonged on that stage. The joy and adoration from both actors really shone through in their performance and delivery, and I will always love this song.  

1. Bet on It 

Folks, welcome to my number-one pick! Is it controversial? Maybe, but I don’t care because “Bet on It” is a certified banger. If you disagree, you have a right to have a wrong opinion. I kid (kind of). This song is a little over-the-top and dramatic, yes. But that’s why I love it. Zac Efron put his heart and soul into this song, and I love him for it. If you were to ask me what my go-to karaoke song is, it would have to be “Bet on It.” And it doesn’t even have to be at karaoke. Get a couple of drinks in me, and I will pull this song up myself to jam out. Heck, I don’t even need alcohol. I just need a reason to pull it up, and I will. I think I love “Bet on It” so much because much like “Fabulous” it’s very dramatic, and it’s so fun to sing along and make your rendition very over-the-top too. This is my favorite “Troy just wants to make his own life choices” song, and I can totally relate to the lyrics, “I don’t wanna win this game if I can’t play it my way.” This song has shown up in my Spotify Wrapped every year because I genuinely listen to this all the time. It’s such a great track.  

There’s my ranking! This was a longer ranking blog than normal, so I appreciate you sticking around (even if you just skipped to the end to see my number one). I know fellow fans might get a little testy about some of my rankings, but please know that if I rank a song that you love low, that does not take away your ability to love the song. This is an opinion piece, and I’d love to hear your opinions about my ranking and your own in the comments. What are your top 3 High School Musical songs? Which one would you rock out to for karaoke? I’d love to hear it all in the comments! 

And if you want to hear more about my in-depth thoughts on the first High School Musical, check out the podcast, Savage Movie Night!  

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Thanks as always for reading! 

Written by Kristen Petronio